Signal device for vehicles



` E. ZADG.

SIGNAL DEVI-c5 Fo'R vEH|cLEs. APPLICATION FI'LED NOV. lin-1919.

1,356,585, Patented, oct. 26,190.-

! @j y f g 4 f Y y `1 l' A 77.25 y 75 NITE STTS ERNEST annie, or estraneo,- rLLINoIs.

SIGNAL nnvrcn ron VEHICLES.

Application led November 3, 1919. Serial N'. 335,348.k

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ,ERNEST ZADIG, a citizen ofvthe present Government of Germany, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook" and State" of Illinoisyhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sig nal Devicesfor Vehicles,'of which the following specification.

This lnvention relates to improvements inV signal devices for vehicles, particularlyf adapted thoughnot necessari-ly limited in vits use with motor vehicles, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved device of this characteriwhich willv of the'vehicle vduring be self-contained and which embodies means whereby the signall may bel operated and controlled in its operation bythe inertia of a moving mass and independent of the op rafion of any .of the other parts ofgthe ve 'A further object is to provide improved means to prevent the undesired operation ofthe signal device by the spring action the accompanyi g drawing'illustratingthis invention,and in which;

Figure l'is a front elevation of a signal of this-character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and 4- 4, Fig'.l 2. n e Referring more particularly tothe draw-l showing the parte in one position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line.

2 2, Fig. 4 and with parts broken away to show the circular lens.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on lin 3--3, Fig. 1 and with parts-broken away to show the circular lens.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view-taken on line ing the lnumeral 10 'designates generally a housing of anydesired size and configuration in which the signal device is arranged and this housing is supported in lany-desired or suitable manner preferably by means of a bracket 11 adapted to engage and be sc cured to the tail light 'support ofa motor vehicle. A.

Within the housing thus constructed 1s a.

its lordinary course of.

simultaneously about their conceal the. signal 1 5.

lightnor lamp 12 which receives current vfrom any suitable source, land in front of Vthe lamp is arranged a window 13 through which the rays of the lamp will be visible tSpecificationlofLetters'Patent. i Patented Oct, 26,1920, I.

at yall times when the light is lighted simi-l lar to the ordinary tail light.

The.housing is provided with an front 141 of any desired size and configura;

tion and arranged in line withthe opening F14' and against the back of the housing' is a signalllvpreferablyv comprising the letters-,of a word such, as Stop and lare arranged so that theywill be visible from the outside of the housing during the day time and at night when the .light 12 is lighted, vthe open p raysfrom the-light will also 'be .directed` against this signal.

Operating so as to be movedl across thel opening 14 are 4a plurality of 4shutters 16 lwhich may be constructed of any suitable material and these shutters are preferably pivotally mounted `by their ends. as at 17 in suitable bearings and are connected by l means of a link or connecting bar 18 which has pivotal engagement 19 with each of the shuttersiso that the shutters will be `moved pivot to expose 0r 1 The shutters 16 maybe provided witha series of openings 2 0 therethrough and .which openings are arranged in any suitable manner preferably sod as to form the letters 'of another word or signal such `as Go and the openings are provided so that the light rays `from thelamp 12 will he visible therethrough when the shutters .are in i a positionto concealthe signal 15.

vThe shutters 16 are adapted 'to bev operlated by the inertia cfa movable mass and this mass also serves as va means for maintaining thel shutters 16 in their adjusted position. This may be accomplished in any desired or suitable manner but preferably by meansof a movable mass 21 which .in the present exempliication of the invention is indicated as mercury, although yit is. to be x.

understood `that .any suitable moving mass may be employed for thel purpose.

Thisv mass 21isarranged within a closed cylinder or chamber 22 which is of a length considerably greaterthan the length'4 ofthe mass and thefcylinder is mounted for pivotal movement intermediate itsl ends preferably by means of a yoke or bracket 23 pivotally mounted as at 24 upon a fixed or rigid support 25, in such a manner that when inertia is imparted to the mass v21:th e .mass willmove from one end or side of the chamber 22 tb the other side and 'thereby cause the chamber to be moved about its pivot 24.

In order that this motion caused by the inertia of the mass which constitutes a prime indifer, may be imparted to the shutters 16,

^ the shutters are' operatively connected with the chamber in any suitable manner such,

for instance, as by means of an arm. 26 con-' nected with the yoke' or bracket 23. A link 27'is pivotally connected as at 28 at one end -to the arm 26 and' is pivotally connected by its other end to a' crank arm 29 which latter is in turn connected with one of the shutters v16. It will, therefore, be manifest that when the chamber22 is given its` shifting or tilting movement by thevine'rtia of the mass 21,

f the arm 26 and link 27 will impart this motion to the shutters 16 and cause them to' open or close according to the directionvof movement of the mass, to expose or conceal the signal 15.

In order to overcome the inertia of the:

mass 21 ,under predetermined conditions, such as the vertical movement of theve'hicle during its travel due to thelaction of the vehicle springs, and thereby maintain the shut-- ters 16 in theirproper position, any suitable means maybe provided, such, for instance, as a brake 30 which may bein the form of a yoke, mounted for vibratory movement preferably by means of a spring arm 31 secured to a rigid portion of the device. This yoke 30 is adapted to stand astride of a surface 32 which is connected with the chamber 22 for movement therewith andthe'periphery of the surface 32 may belroughened or knurled x as desired. With this construction it will be proper position, yet the' friction of the brake upon the surface is not suflicient to prevent the inertia of the mass 21 from operating the signal when the vehicle is starting or stopping. Normally, the brake 30 isA preferably entirely out of contact with the surface 32.,V

Thevcasing 10 may be provided with' a bracket'33 which constitutes a support for the license plate 34 and the casing is lpro- Ivided with a suitableslot or opening 35 adjacent the license .plate 34 so that the rays from the lamp 12 will be directed against the license plate. i

Obviously a Atransparent closure 36 may be provided for the opening35.

With this improved construction it will i be manifest that the operation of the signal is entirely independent of the operation of Vto be understood that variouschanges may "be madelin the details of construction and any of the 'other parts of the vehicle, the signal being operated entirely by the inertieJ of the moving mass 21, which l-atter constitutes the initial or prime mover for actuating the remaining p'artsof the signal and 7,0

f which parts are in turnco'nnected with the shutters 16. u i v While the preferredV form of the invention has'been herein `shown and described, it 1s in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope-of the claims e without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is p 1. A signal device forvehicles embodying a housing having an opening inA `one wall thereof, afshiftable element\ mounted for movement across the opening, a shiftablel support, a mass carried by the support for movement :with vrespect thereto and 'constituting a prime mover, whereby the inertia of the said mass will shift the said support,A said support and said element being supported independently of each other, meansv whereby the said element will-be positively actuated by the movement' of the said sup- -port under the infiuence of the inertia of the said mass, and abrake device for restraining .the said support against vshifting movement' under the influence of the spring actionA of the vehicle. l

2. A signal device for vehicles embodying a housing having an opening in one 'wall 100 thereof, a shiftable element mounted for `movement across the opening, a shiftable support, a mass carried by the support for movement with respect thereto and constituting a prime mover, whereby the 'in- 105 ertiaof the said mass will shift the said support, said support and said .element being supported independently of each other, meansA whereby the said element will be positively actuated by the movement of the said support under the influence of the inertia ofthe said mass, and a brake device i for restraining the saidI support against shifting movement unvder the infiuence of the n spring 'action of the vehicle, said brake de- 115 vice embodying a brakingsurface connected with the said support and a vibrating brake element coperatingwith the, saidsurface. A 3. A signal device for vehicles embodying a signal proper, amovable mass, means whereby the inertia 'of said mass will autol matically actuate the signal, and brake mechanism operating automatically to overcomethesaid'inertia to maintain the signal againstoperation under the iniiuence of the spring action of the vehicle.

11. A signal device for vehicles embodying a `signal proper, a movable mass to which inertia is imparted solely by the motionof the vehicle, means whereby such inelement, a movable mass to Whichinertia is imparted'byxthe motion f'of the' vehicle, V

'10 means :whereby such inertia-Will constitutev Aagainst shifting ertia constitutesthe Vprime mover` for actuating .the signal, 'and brake mechanism'op'erat\ ing to overcome such inertia l,under the' in! luenceofv the lsp'ring actionoi1 -the vehicle tov maintain the signalagainst operation.. f A signal 'device for vehicles-embodying 4a changeable signal' embodying a' shltable the prime mover-for vshifting said element, the said means embodying a' shifta'ble supportivith respect to which the massis vmovableto shift the support, .means responsive to the shifting movement'pf theI said support forsliifting said element, and means operating to 'maintain the -said support mined conditions; i

v6; A signal device for vehiclesembody? f -i-ng a changeable signalfembodying a shiftable element, a movable mass tov which in# ertia is-imparted by the motion -ofthe vehicle, means Wherebysuch inrtia, 'vvill .con.

stitute the .prime'mo'verffor shifting. said element, the said `means embodying a shift-.1

" able support Withrespect to vvhich the mass is movable to shift the support, meanslre# lsp'onsive to the shiftingmovement'of the.y

said support for shifting the saidelement, Y and 'brake mechanlsm'operating automati'- 1 4cally to -maintainthelsa'id support against shifting movement -Annder4 predetermined conditions.'

y 7. VA signal fdevice fiory vehicles embodyder predetermined conditions; .8. Asignal 'device for vehicles embodying movement under" p'redeten.

y ing aA changeable signal enibodying-al shiftable element, a movable 'mass to whlch 1n-v ertia is imparted by the motionof the vehicle,'l means whereby such'ginertia will con-4 stitute-"the prime -mover for shifting'. saidelement, the said means embodying a shltis movable'to 'shift the-support, and a vibratory brake device formaint'aining the saidv supportagainst shifting movement unable support Withrespect to ywhich the mass az housing, a signal device therein and visi- .ble from the outside. sideffof the'lhousing, y.means Withi'nvthe housing for. illuminating the signalfa movable signal device arranged to .concealnrexposethe first recited signal;

a movable-massto which inertia is imparted V'by the movement -ofv the vehicle, means whereby suchxi'nertia .will operate to. shift *the second Irecited'sig'nal device to conceal or expose ftheirst recited signal, meansu v light rays pass.

In testimony Whereofl have signed m name to this specification, on this-29th day ERNEST annie'. 

